1. Field
The invention is in the field of stands or hangers for chairs, particularly hammock type chairs, which are suspended or hung from a hook above the chair.
2. State of the Art
Chairs are currently available, generally referred to as hammock chairs, which are hanging chairs suspended by ropes from an overhead hook. A common embodiment of hammock chairs have a cross bar, two side bars, and a sling of canvas or similar material in which the user sits. The cross bar, which has ropes extending from its ends to the hook, spreads the sling to create the width for the chair, and the side bars, which have ropes at their ends extending to the cross bar, create a front to back depth for the sling and chair. When used under a roof, the hook is installed in the roof to suspend the chair. When outside, the chair can be suspended or hung from a tree branch from either a hook attached to the tree branch or by tying the ropes from the chair around the tree branch. When hung from a hook, the chair is free to swing to some extent. Because these chairs have to be suspended from a hook or other support above the chair, use of such chairs has been limited to locations under a roof or tree where the overhead support is available.
To increase the places where such chairs can be used, C-stands have been developed to support such chairs. A C-stand has an arm that extends in a “C” shape from a base with supporting legs extending therefrom which rest on a supporting surface, such as a floor or the ground, to an upper end with a hook, usually about eight feet above the supporting surface. The upper end receives the ropes from the chair and suspends the chair above the base. Since the chair can swing, each supporting leg has to extend outwardly from the base about three feet to prevent tipping of the base. This means that the base for the C-stand extends about six feet by six feet. The weight of a C-stand is about seventy pounds. Thus, a C-stand is large and heavy, making it inconvenient to take places such as camping, picnicing, or tailgating.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,857,741, 6,314,891, and 6,739,643 show various arrangements of chairs and tables supported by trailer hitch receivers at the back of a vehicle. The chairs and tables are all supported in fixed position from beneath by the bar extending from the trailer hitch receiver.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,152,675, 6,250,483, and 6,705,821 show hoists or game hangers which are supported by trailer hitch receivers at the back of a vehicle. These hoists provide hooks for lifting and hanging large game, such as deer, behind trucks for cleaning and butchering. U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,483 even provides an elevated chair mounted on the hoist, but again, mounted from the bottom so the chair is supported in fixed position from underneath.